School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Most children know about Old MacDonald and his animals, but did they ever wonder how he got that farm? Sierra imagines a rollicking suburban scenario that starts when MacDonald gets tired of mowing the lawn and begins to seek out creative alternatives. A grass-nibbling goat is joined by the "smartest hen in history," and the fun begins. The lawn is covered with cardboard and dirt, a horse arrives to help create compost, and the seeds of the farm are planted. Myers's illustrations capture the fun with expressive animals and grumpy, bow-tied neighbors. This title offers a great way to extend the song into a lesson about the plant cycle and suburban farming. An excellent purchase for general collections as well as curriculum support.-Martha Link Yesowitch, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, NC (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Like his neighbors, this Old MacDonald has a high-maintenance lawn: "MacDonald said, 'I love my yard,/ but mowing grass is mighty hard.' " Enter a remarkable red hen, who is a horticultural expert (her "Resume of Horticultural Fowlishness" includes a stint at Versailles) with a plan for turning the backyard into a low-impact, high-yield organic garden. Old MacDonald's neighbors need some convincing-in fact, they organize a NIMBY protest against the garden's unsightly mud and smelly natural fertilizers ("A LAWN IN EVERY YARD" and CHANGE IS BAD" read protestors' signs). But soon enough, nearly everyone either has the gardening bug or is saying, " 'Mac sure is smart,'/ as they bought fresh food from his garden cart." Sierra (Wild About You!) has written an ingenious parable that's ripped-from-the-headlines (or HGTV), and she has a two-peas-in-a-pod partnership with Myers, whose sculptural pictures and sly comedy add just the right amount of visual extravagance. Close readers will also be rewarded with manure jokes and a new meaning for Old MacDonald's vowel-heavy refrain: "Enjoy It! Everything Is Organic!" Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.